Facebook is a prime place to advertise if you’re a B2C or a B2B styled business. Advertising on Facebook can market your unique brand offering to its advertising audience of 2.14 billion users…and, when done right, can give you an incredibly high return on investment. If you notice that your ads are struggling, there may be underlying causes that you can diagnose and fix to reap the benefits. In this article, we cover 5 common reasons that your Facebook Ads aren’t converting and possible solutions that you can use to address each problem.
1. You’re Using a Cold Audience Pitch
It’s counterintuitive – but pitching to the audience via a cold pitch strategy isn’t always the right solution. This is especially true for Facebook. Cold pitches to a demographic who doesn’t know you will likely have them scrolling through before they even catch the first sentence. (Plus, who do you know who likes to read advertisements?
Solution: Consider Retargeting Ads or Approaching Copy Differently
Retargeting ads can provide additional benefit to your business, as these types of Facebook ads are shown to users who have interacted with your business before on different social platforms and channels, or who have visited your website. You can outsource retargeting ad copy and coordination to a digital marketing specialist and save valuable time and resources throughout the process.
If you are not running retargeting ads yet, and want to do cold lead outreach, consider structuring your ad around different thought leadership topics within your social media pillar strategy, or exposing viewers to your brand as an authority in the field. This can be a more attention-grabbing way to capture the attention of a prospect and carry them through your call to action.
2. Your Funnel Isn’t Tight
Prospects can be spooked from becoming full-blown conversions if they feel uncertain at any point in the process. What is commonly seen is when a company puts heavy emphasis on crafting a strong ad sequence, but fails to carry the prospect through a tight funnel with a streamlined process. If there are holes or gaps in knowledge or process, or if the tech breaks down at any point, you run the risk of losing your conversion.
Solution: Constantly Review, Revise, and Tailor Your Assets
Anything that is forward-facing to the client should be frequently reviewed and tailored to ensure that it is still the best fit for your client’s needs. This includes testing, revising, adding, and removing elements that no longer suit the ideal vision for that asset. You can determine how to tailor your assets to your clients by utilizing client satisfaction surveys, reviewing pieces of social proof or responses, and going through the conversion process as if you were a client in your demographic. Doing this frequently may make you aware of possible “leaks” in your funnel.
3. You’re Using Multiple Calls to Action On Confusing Ads
Your call to action is your request to prospects at the end of your ad. While it can be tempting to insert multiple calls to action, it’s better to avoid this as this can confuse the prospect. Facebook ads are not designed to be long, most not exceeding 100-150 words. Your prospect may not even get past the first sentence – which is why having a strong leading sentence is so vital to the success of your ad.
Solution: Streamline Your Ads and Be Concise
The fix to this common problem offers a fairly simple solution: remove any instances of multiple (or unclear) calls to action in your ad, and instead position your singular call to action at the bottom of the copy. Consider using this strategy in conjunction with a strong hook-styled sentence and condensing your copy wherever possible in order to get the highest engagement and reach, as well as the highest possible return on your investment. You can save time by hiring digital marketing strategists who can assist you in automating and perfecting your process.
4. Your Graphics Aren’t Up To Par
Social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram are largely visually driven. For this reason, it’s crucial to add creative elements to your ad that clearly represent your company and have the quality needed to stand out on social media. Graphic assets that are blurry, too contrasting, or appear to be cheaply made will negatively impact your conversion rates. Additionally, graphics that appear to be text-heavy or unrelated to your ad can harm your rates in the long run.
Solution: Create Quality, Scroll-Stopping Graphics
Graphics creation can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to filling up your social media channel of choice. If you’re finding yourself unsure of where to start when it comes to creating quality graphics, consider outsourcing to a graphic designer, or using a template-based program that can deliver professional images quickly – such as Canva.com.
5. Your Audience Is Too Broad
If your Facebook ad isn’t converting, have you checked on how broad your range of demographic is? If your range is too broad, you run the risk of having poor conversion rates. While it may seem implausible, narrowing your audience niche down to your ideal audience only can get you a higher return rate.
Solution: Study Your Demographic & Set Your Niche
The solution is to narrow your audience in your Facebook Ad Panel. You can do this in a few simple clicks, and test different demographics to determine which gets you the best return for your investment. You may also consider conducting additional research into your core demographic and ideal customer profiles to ensure that your ad copy and graphic asset are tailored to their unique needs.
